Religion

Laura George, founder of The Oracle Institute, pauses while giving a tour of the interfaith organization’s grounds to admonish her pet.

She can’t keep a straight face and neither can the two institute volunteers – Donna Montgomery, the Mystery School Coordinator, and Katie Kennedy, the Interfaith Coordinator – accompanying her; all three are giggling.

McMillian Ministries has spent its time and energy so far trying to be a dynamic spiritual force in the community. This Saturday evening, it’s asking for just a little help back.

The ministry boasts an active youth program, including a June conference, and is famed for its formal Winter Ball in February at the Elks Lodge, which Pastor Sue Greene describes as no less than “a black tie event.”

Pretty impressive for a church whose congregation has no building of its own.

Local congregations celebrated the third annual Christian Family Fun Day event on Saturday with a parade, a 5K and a day-long celebration at the Hillsville VFW. Churches from the Twin Counties and surrounding localities turned up to offer free food, games, entertainment and messages about Christianity. Everyone in the community was invited to attend, regardless of their personal beliefs.

HILLSVILLE — For the past two years, the Christian Family Fun Day (CFFD) event in Hillsville has provided a safe and fun environment where everyone is welcome.

For some, the event — set to return for a third year on Sept. 20 — is a fun place to mingle with the community and enjoy the free games and entertainment. But for others, the experience is much more profound.

Legislation aimed at ensuring students’ right to pray and engage in other religious expression at school has passed the General Assembly, but not by sufficient margins to overcome a promised veto by Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
State Sen. Bill Carrico’s bill passed the House of Delegates on a 64-34 vote on Feb. 26. It had earlier cleared the Senate, 20-18. Neither vote is enough to override a veto, which requires a two-thirds majority.

A local group has formed to research and plan the possibility of a non-denominational Christian school in the Twin County area.
This was a vision that began just a couple of years ago, explained Lynn Funk of Lincoln Financial in Galax and a member of the group.
She said that there are a number of parents, grandparents, guardians and homeschoolers who are interested in putting Christianity back into their children’s’ education.

HILLSVILLE — Dozens of members of Hillsville Pentecostal Holiness joined Pastor Jeff Pickett on his birthday Sunday to break ground on the first phase of the church’s new facility.
The congregation gathered Feb. 9 on the large, cleared lot near Virginia Street for the ceremony celebrating the 500-seat sanctuary, which will also have Sunday school rooms and a parking lot.
Along with Pickett and the congregation members, former pastor Ron Fredricks and Bishop Preston Mathena participated in the blessing for the church.